Trump And Putin To Meet On August 15 In Alaska

US President Donald Trump has announced plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15 as part of efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The announcement, made on social media, comes after Trump's recent suggestion that Ukraine might need to give up some territory to achieve peace. The Kremlin has also reportedly confirmed the summit.

This potential summit is seen as a crucial moment in a war that has lasted over three years and resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. However, there is no guarantee the meeting will end the fighting, as Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart on their conditions for peace. Trump stated that his meeting with Putin would happen before any discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This has raised concerns in Europe that Ukraine could be sidelined in efforts to resolve the continent's largest conflict since World War II.

Zelenskyy, however, earlier stated that Ukraine is not afraid of meetings. He insisted that Europe must be involved and that discussions had included "two bilateral and one trilateral" format. Concerns are also mounting that decisions directly affecting Ukraine's future may be made without its full participation.

Despite the upcoming talks, expectations for a peace deal are low. Russia continues its air strikes, and its conditions for ending the war – such as Kyiv's demilitarisation and withdrawal from occupied regions – are still unacceptable to Ukraine and its Western allies.